The SubReversity Series
by Nate Grey
Summary: The story of a unique writer and his two Muses.
1. Rewrite

My first and possibly last Subreverse story. I got inspired after reading Static-Pulse's "Hopeless," and here's the result.  
  
The CardCaptors meet Nate's SubReverse self, the mysterious and insane Ethan.   
  
Rewrite  
by XMAN0123  
Rating: PG-13 Contains references to sex, but most aren't even that obvious.  
---------------------  
Sakura, Li, and Madison didn't want to be there, but they had no choice. When a Writer called, as fictives, they had to answer. Even if he wasn't the sanest person around. Then again, he wasn't really a person. At least, they didn't think so. People weren't supposed to be able to do the things he did, no matter how sick and twisted they could be. Yet, he was more than just a Writer. Ethan was an Eraser, too.  
  
"Do you think he's here yet?" Sakura whispered.  
  
Madison slipped a comforting arm around her friend's shoulder. "I don't know, and I don't want to know."  
  
"Quiet," Li hissed. "Someone's coming!"  
  
The office door slowly swung open, revealing a small girl in Gothic clothing. To put it plainly, she looked like some sort of mini-hooker. Her skirt, top, and boots were all made of shiny black leather, and her lips were covered in black lipstick. There was a whip in her right hand.  
  
Sakura whimpered and clutched Madison's hand tightly.  
  
The girl's gaze landed on Li. "You. Come here."  
  
Li stood up and walked over to her.  
  
She looked him up and down, then walked around him in a tight circle.   
  
Li swallowed noisily.  
  
"Impressive," she said after a moment. Then she leaned in close to him, her face mere centimeters from his. "But I wonder...how do you feel about battle?"  
  
"Battle?" he asked slowly.  
  
"Yes. Are you a good fighter?"  
  
There was less confidence in Li's voice than usual, but he managed a quick, "I can hold my own."  
  
The girl smiled at him. "Good. Follow me." She turned and disappeared through the door.  
  
Li threw a nervous glance at Sakura before following the girl.  
  
"Who do you think she was?" Madison asked.  
  
"Well, there's only two beings I can think of that would stay with Ethan by choice."  
  
"His Muses?"  
  
Sakura nodded. "I don't which one she was, though."  
  
A few seconds later, the girl returned. "Ethan will see you now." She quickly vanished back into darkness.  
  
Sakura and Madison traded nervous glances before going through the door. They found themselves in a small corridor. Directly in front of them were three doors. The first, a tall, black door, was closed. The girls could just hear some sort of locking mechanism sliding into place as they got closer. Sakura thought she heard some kind of muffled cry, but she figured that she was likely to imagine hearing many things in a place like this.  
  
The second door was blue and slightly open. Sakura started to go through it, but Madison grabbed her by the wrist and pointed at something she hadn't seen. Sakura moved to where her friend was standing and gasped. Just inside the room, there were a multitude of weapons pointed at the door, including a flamethrower, a crossbow, and a machine gun. There was little doubt as to what would happen to the unlucky person that stepped through that door.   
  
The final door was pretty plain looking, especially when compared to the first two. It was brown and closed. Madison was the first to notice the sign on the doorframe. It read, "The dragon is by the side of the road, watching those who pass. Beware lest he devour you. We go to the Father of Souls, but it is necessary to pass by the dragon." Underneath that, in bold letters, was Ethan's name. There had been something after that, but it had been erased long ago.  
  
"Should we go in?" Sakura asked quietly.  
  
"We don't have a choice," Madison pointed out. "Let's just get this over with."  
  
The two girls slowly stepped into Ethan's office. Instantly, an overpowering smell hit them. Fortunately, neither of the girls knew what the odor was just yet, or they might have fainted right there.   
  
Ethan was seated in a chair, absently tapping his large fingers on the desk in front of him. His eyeballs were totally white and without pupils.   
  
A girl was sitting on the edge of his desk, swinging her legs back and forth. Like the last girl, she wore a black outfit. Her long, blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail that reached to her waist. As Sakura and Madison entered the room, she looked up and smiled, her blue eyes dancing. Under normal circumstances, she would have been cute. Now, the smile was eerie and just plain disturbing.  
  
"You're...his Muse?" Madison asked.  
  
The girl nodded and played with her ponytail. "My name is Iyla."  
  
"What do you want with us?" Sakura asked, shuddering as Ethan turned his empty gaze her.  
  
"Don't talk to him," Iyla said sternly. "Just me."  
  
Ethan said nothing to confirm or dispute the order, so the girls gave Iyla their undivided attention.  
  
"Let's get something straight. You only talk to me. Ethan's deaf and mute."  
  
Sakura gave her a curious look. "Then how do you talk to-"  
  
"We have a telepathic link," Iyla interrupted. "Now, Ethan wants you to be in his next story."  
  
"What about Li?" Sakura asked.  
  
Iyla blinked. "Who?"  
  
"Li! The boy that came with us!"  
  
Iyla tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Was there a girl dressed like me?"  
  
"Yes! She took him somewhere."  
  
"Oh. Well, that was Didi. She likes boys. ALL boys."  
  
Sakura narrowed her eyes. "What's she doing to him?"  
  
Iyla shrugged. "The usual."  
  
As if on cue, a horrifying scream tore through the building, followed by a child's delighted laughter.  
  
Iyla gave the girls a bright smile. "We don't like to watch, but she swears they enjoy it."  
  
Sakura barely managed to suppress the growl building in her throat. "If you've hurt him, you'll pay for it!"  
  
"I didn't do anything to him," Iyla replied, playing with her hair again. "I've never even seen the guy." Her face suddenly became serious. "Anyway, let's get down to business. This story is-"  
  
"No," Sakura said firmly. "I want to see Li first."  
  
Iyla glanced back at her Writer. "You can't see him now. Business first."  
  
"NO! Li first!"  
  
Ethan's eyes narrowed.  
  
Madison grabbed her friend's hand. "Sakura," she whispered, "let's not make him angry!"  
  
"I don't care if he's angry!" Sakura shouted. "I want to see Li!"  
  
Iyla swallowed noisily. "Now you've done it. You've gone and made him mad."  
  
Ethan opened a desk drawer and pulled out a notepad and a pen. Without a word, he began to write.  
  
"I'm sick of this! I'm going to find Li!" Sakura turned on her heel and headed for the door. Before she could get there, the door slammed loudly and locked.  
  
"You won't be going anywhere," Iyla said quietly, her eyes glowing bright blue. "Ethan isn't done with you yet."  
  
Sakura was about to scream when she noticed that her feet had become a lot heavier. In fact, they seemed to be stuck to the floor. "What did you do to me?!" she shrieked.  
  
Ethan merely turned the notepad to her. In large, bold letters, he had written, "Sakura's feet are stuck to the floor."  
  
"You can't do this to me!" Sakura screamed.  
  
Ethan quickly wrote, "Sakura is unable to speak."  
  
"That's better," Iyla said, her eyes still glowing. "As I was saying, Ethan wants you to be in his story. It's going to be a tale of romance, betrayal, and conflict. You're going to be the star, Madison."  
  
"Me?" Madison asked. "But why?"  
  
"Ethan feels you're underused in CardCaptor fics. He wants to change that. He's even thinking of turning this into a series."  
  
"A series about what?"  
  
Iyla tilted her head slightly. "Well, I can't tell you that. Ethan's a literary genius, but he never reveals his plans right away. You should be honored that he's so fond of you."  
  
"Well, can I ask him for a favor?"  
  
Iyla glanced at Ethan, who nodded. "Sure, but within reason."  
  
"Can Li be in the story, too?" Madison was hoping this would ensure that whatever Didi was doing to Li, he'd survive at least until the series ended.  
  
"Oh, he's in it," Iyla promised. "He's going to be your love interest."  
  
Sakura's eyes widened, and it was clear that if she could still speak, no one would want to hear what she was currently trying to say.  
  
"What about Sakura?" Madison asked.  
  
"She won't be in the story. Ethan has other plans for her."  
  
"Other...plans?"  
  
"Yes." Iyla smiled mysteriously. "She might even be his new Muse."  
  
Sakura pulled out her wand and threw it as hard as she could. The wand just missed Ethan's head and hit the wall.  
  
Ethan's eyes narrowed, and he glanced at Iyla.  
  
Iyla shook her head. "You shouldn't have done that. Don't get my Writer upset."  
  
Sakura made a very obscene gesture, literally telling Iyla what she could do with her precious Writer.  
  
Ethan gripped the pencil so hard that it snapped into several pieces. He pulled out another and jotted something down on the pad. Then he began to erase rapidly.  
  
"There's something you should know about my Ethan," Iyla said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "He's got multiple personalities. Just two, mind you, but one of them can be very dangerous."  
  
"Then why do you stay with him?" Madison asked.  
  
"I'm his Muse," Iyla replied. "Ethan needs me, and I need him. Besides, he would never hurt Didi or me. He loves us both dearly."  
  
"You mean...like you're his children?" Madison guessed.  
  
Iyla smiled slightly. "Well, not exactly."  
  
Realization came quickly, and Madison knew what the overpowering smell in the room had been. She just had a very hard time believing it.  
  
"Anyway, Sakura shouldn't have made him mad," Iyla continued. "Normally, Ethan's just like any other Writer. But when he gets really mad, he changes. Then he's not Ethan the Writer anymore. He becomes someone else."  
  
"Who?" Madison asked.  
  
Iyla lowered her voice. "Ethan the Eraser."  
  
Ethan stopped and turned the pad around. He had erased what was there before and written Sakura's name in huge, bold letters. With a wicked smile on his face, he erased the last letter.  
  
For a moment, nothing happened. Then a panicked look appeared on Sakura's face as her feet faded out of existence.  
  
"What is he doing to her?!" Madison cried.  
  
Iyla almost seemed sad. "Ethan hates unruly fictives. He's erasing her."  
  
Ethan then erased the R, U, and K.  
  
Sakura's legs, waist, arms, and chest disappeared, leaving only her neck and head.  
  
"NO!" Madison screamed. "Stop it! You'll kill her!"  
  
"I told her not to upset him. I warned her."  
  
"Madison, help me!" Sakura shouted. "Do something! Make him stop!"  
  
Madison started to move, but found herself frozen in place.  
  
"I can't let you stop Ethan," Iyla said, her eyes glowing again. "You have to learn like the rest do. She has to be an example to you and Li. Then you'll know not to make my Ethan mad."  
  
Ethan erased the A.  
  
Sakura's neck was gone, but somehow, she still was able to scream and plead with Ethan to stop. Not that it did any good.  
  
Ethan erased the S.  
  
Madison could only watch through her tears as her best friend vanished forever.  
  
"I hope you've learned something, Madison," Iyla said quietly.  
  
Madison fell to her knees sobbing uncontrollably. "You killed her!"  
  
"It was necessary."  
  
Madison had never felt more alone in her life. There was no telling what state Li was in, or if he was even alive. But Sakura...she was gone for good. Ethan had seen to that himself.  
  
Ethan dropped the pad and pencil on his desk. He kneeled and carefully gathered Madison in his arms. She offered no resistance; her will had been broken. Then he stood up and looked at Iyla.  
  
She nodded. "I'll make sure Didi doesn't play too rough with him." She quickly ran out of the office.  
  
For a long moment, Ethan only stared at the weeping girl in his arms. Then he wiped the tears from her face, smoothed out her hair, and carried her to Iyla's room. The scanners recognized him, so none of the weapons went off. Ethan gently placed Madison on the bed and covered her with a blanket. He stared at her face for a few seconds, then leaned over and kissed her forehead.   
  
Madison was either too drained or too frightened to shrink away from his touch. She looked into his pale, unblinking gaze and whispered, "Why'd you have to take her from me?"  
  
Ethan didn't answer, though it was doubtful that he would have, even if he still had the gift of speech. Instead, he squeezed her hand and left the room. Despite the fact that it was her day, anyway, Iyla would have to sleep with him tonight, but she wouldn't mind. She never minded, and neither did Didi.  
  
Ethan returned to his office and flicked a switch by the door. The desk and chair seemed to melt into the floor. A bed easily large enough for five people almost instantly replaced them.  
  
Ethan turned off the lights and climbed into bed. Minutes later, he felt Iyla cuddling up beside him, resting her head against his chest. She knew better than to ask for anything more; reverting to the Eraser and then back to the Writer always made Ethan too tired for much else.   
  
Ethan wrapped his arms around her, silently thanking whoever ruled this reality for blessing him with such a loyal Muse. She would never doubt him, never hate him, never leave him. She was more than just inspiration. In Ethan's mind, she was his love personified, and so he loved her as if she were his One True. She was, of course, but he didn't know that.   
  
All he knew was that she would never leave him, and in the middle of the night, when the voices came to torment him, that was all that truly mattered. She would be there to hold him and stroke his hair. She would be there to touch his face and kiss his the fear away. She would be there to love him, as she always had been.  
  
Ethan's thoughts then turned to his new fictive. He would have to be careful with this one. She was fragile, he could see that already. He liked her, really did like her, and wanted her to like him. Still, he had killed her best friend. That would take time to get over, but they had plenty of time. As long as he was a Writer, she had no choice but to obey. He wouldn't force her, though; that would never do. He'd treat her like a daughter, the child he'd lost so long ago. Yes, she would like that. He would call her by name and treat her like he might a Muse. She was special, and he would show her that.  
  
Ethan finally fell asleep with a peaceful smile on his face. He would stay that way until midnight, when the voices returned. But Iyla was there for him, and always would be. She was his Muse, and always would be. Theirs was a partnership time could not damage. Soon, Nate would know this. Yugi & D, too. He'd learned of them from the Destiny fictive in his last story. Ethan would deal with them soon enough. Once he reached their world, they would know his power. But that was for later. For now, it was time to sleep. That is, until the voices came, anyway.  
------------  
Disclaimer: Sakura, Madison, & Li belong to Nelvana/CLAMP. Destiny (the female one that can see the future, not the male one) belongs to Marvel Comics.  
  
Comments would be appreciated, cuz I really have no idea if I did the whole Subreverse concept correctly.  



	2. Escape to Subreality

Ethan & Iyla find a way into Subreality, but their meeting with Nate & Yugi doesn't go as they planned.  
  
... are thoughts/telepathic speech.  
  
Escape to Subreality  
by XMAN0123  
------------  
It had a been a fairly calm night in the Subreality Cafe. That was pretty strange, since there were quite a few Marvel fictives present. No one really seemed to be in a fighting mood...yet.  
  
Over in one of the booths, a Cannonball was eating a bowl of soup, while his companion, a Magik, was busy experimenting with her portals.  
  
"Ya gonna do that all night, 'Yana?" Sam asked, stopping to look at her.  
  
"I have to practice, Sam. I've got to get these portals just right."  
  
Suddenly, a Juggernaut charged past them, accidentally bumping Magik's arm. The portal she was stabilizing flew out of her hands and landed on the floor.  
  
"That's a bad thing, isn't it?" Sam asked, peering over the edge of the table.  
  
"I think so, yes," Magik agreed with a worried look. "I'd better close it before--"  
  
A small girl flew out of the portal and landed in Sam's lap. A young man soon emerged as well, wearing nothing but baggy sweatpants.  
  
Sam could only think of one thing to say. "Hi?"  
  
The girl shook her head and looked up at him. "What is this place?"  
  
"Uh...Subreality?"  
  
Her eyes widened. "Really? You mean it?!"  
  
"Yeah. You're in the Subreality Cafe right now, and--"  
  
The girl squealed happily and flew into the arms of her silent companion. "Ethan, we made it! We really made it!"  
  
As usual, Ethan said nothing.   
  
Sam stared at him for a long moment. "Nate, is that you? Man, I know Cable said you looked different these days, but--"  
  
"I don't think he's the Nate we know, Sam," Magik interrupted. "I don't think he's a Nate at all."  
  
Ethan stared at the two mutants for a few seconds, then turned and walked away, clutching the girl tightly to his bare chest.  
  
"Is it me, or were his eyes missing?" Sam whispered.  
  
Magik didn't respond. She was too busy trying to figure out where the portal had opened up, and why the two travelers had given her a very disturbing feeling.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Do they do this often?" Madison asked.  
  
Didi shook her head. "Not really. Usually it's just Ethan that goes out, and he always leaves us here."  
  
"So where'd they go?" Li asked.  
  
Didi shrugged. "Probably just around the corner to the Alter Cafe. Ethan likes the way it smells or something."  
  
"Will they be back soon?" Madison pressed.  
  
Didi eyed her suspiciously. "I dunno. Why do you care?"  
  
Madison blushed. "No reason."  
  
Li gave her a curious glance, but he didn't say anything.  
  
* * * * *  
  
D was awakened in the middle of the night by an insistent knocking at her door. She groaned and dragged herself out of bed. "And here I thought an invisible house would keep visitors away," she muttered, pulling on a robe as she went to the door. Just for security, she grabbed a baseball bat. "Who is it?"  
  
"D, it's me," said a slightly familiar voice.  
  
"Yugi?" D slowly opened the door. "Is that you?"  
  
The girl that stared back at her certainly looked like Yugi. And the person with her looked a lot like Nate. The only problem was that they looked pretty strange, too.  
  
D calmly leaned against the doorframe. "Aren't you two a little early for Halloween? Nice costumes, by the way."  
  
"D, this is important! There are two people going around impersonating us!"  
  
"You sure they aren't just fictives?"  
  
"No, but they're dangerous!" she insisted. "I think they might be from the Alter Café!"  
  
D's eyes widened. "You mean that place is real?! I thought it was just a legend to scare us Muses."  
  
"No, it's very real, and so are these guys. If you see anyone that looks like us, you should-"   
  
"Wait a minute," D interrupted. "How do I know you aren't them? Tell me something only the real Yugi would know!"  
  
The girl closed her eyes for a moment. "You ate a gigantic burrito for your first birthday."  
  
D's face reddened. "Okay, but everyone in the Writer's Cafe that night knew that!"  
  
"You were sick for two weeks after that," she added. "And so were we...from the smell." She opened her eyes. "How's that?"  
  
"Okay, so it is you. Why are you dressed like that?"  
  
"Because those fakes will be dressed like we normally are. This way, you'll know it's us."  
  
D tilted her head. "I guess that makes sense. So what if I find them?"  
  
"We're hoping to find them first. Do you know where they might go?"  
  
"I guess back to Nate's place, or the Writer's Cafe. Maybe even Subreal-"  
  
"No, we checked there," the girl interrupted. "Just a bunch of Marvels."  
  
"I'll tell Unkie Dreamboat to keep an eye out, just in case they enter the Dreaming." D peered closely at the young man. "Hey, what's with Nate? He's never been this quiet, and he looks kinda pale."  
  
"Part of the costume," the girl explained. "He's supposed to be a minion of Death."  
  
"Cool!" D said, nodding approvingly. "Mom would be proud." She turned back to who she thought was Yugi. "Well, you guys better get back to searching. The sooner we find those fakes, the better." She went back into the cottage, closing the door behind her.  
  
"That went pretty well." The girl turned to her companion. "Where should we start? The apartment or the Cafe?"  
  
I sense my counterpart's aura from that direction, love. Ethan raised his right hand and pointed east. What will we find there?  
  
"The Writer's Cafe. This way, Ethan." Iyla slipped her small hand into his large one and led him down the street. "Do you think we should call home first?"  
  
Unnecessary, dear heart. Didi is perfectly capable of watching Madison. That Li is a cause for concern, but she can handle him.  
  
* * * * *  
  
It had taken nearly an hour, but Li had pried himself from Didi's grip without waking her. It was the first chance he'd had to escape, and he wasn't about to miss it. Of course, he had to take Madison, too. Sakura would have wanted that.  
  
But then he ran into a very unexpected problem: Madison didn't WANT to escape.  
  
"You WHAT?!"  
  
Madison lowered her voice. "I...I want to stay here."  
  
"But why?! These people are crazy! We have to get out while we can!"  
  
"I don't care, Li. I want to stay."  
  
Li could barely keep from tearing out his hair. "Have you forgotten that they killed Sakura?!"  
  
"Of course not!" Madison looked very offended. "But...it's just that they...need me. Well, Ethan does. If I were to leave, he'd be...sad."  
  
"Oh, it's official. Insanity is contagious, and it's gotten to you."  
  
"I know he's crazy, but that's not his fault! He can't help the way he is! And when you think about it, he hasn't turned into the Eraser once in all this time. He hasn't done anything close to being evil, except for Sakura..."  
  
Li sighed. "She wouldn't want me to leave you here, Madison."  
  
Madison shook her head. "She'd want me to try and help Ethan, Li. I can't explain it, but I know she would. I can feel it."  
  
"Well, I'm not staying here."  
  
"I know." Madison lifted her head and looked into his eyes. "Good luck."  
  
Li hesitated. He could see the determination in her eyes. For whatever reason she was really staying, he could tell that she thought it was the right thing to do. But he didn't feel that way. "I was about to tell you the same thing." He turned and slipped out of the room, hoping Sakura's spirit could forgive him one day.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"C'mon, Nate!" Yugi pleaded. "Just try it one time!"  
  
"I don't want to."  
  
"You HAVE to! It's part of the dining experience!"  
  
"How?"  
  
"Um...it's like having valet parking!"  
  
"I don't have a car."  
  
"You COULD, if you wanted!"  
  
"If I might interrupt?" Hank asked politely. "The gentleman does not have to board the Blue Beast Express if he does not wish to."  
  
"He does if he wants me to be happy," Yugi replied sternly.  
  
"Oh. Well, since you put it that way." Hank tucked Nate under one arm.  
  
"HEY! PUT ME DOWN!"  
  
"I'm afraid I can't do that, sir. My patron's happiness is at risk, and I would not be an excellent Assistant Manager if I didn't ensure her overall enjoyment experience here at the honorable Writer's Cafe."  
  
"Yeah, but I'm the Writer, and she's a Muse! It's my happiness you should be AAAAAAHHH!!!"  
  
Though the ride only lasted a few seconds, it felt like an eternity of weightlessness to Nate. And when it was over, he really wished that he hadn't eaten at all that day.  
  
"Wasn't that fun?" Yugi asked.  
  
Nate stumbled out onto the sidewalk and fell to his knees. "I'll tell you when my head stops spinning."  
  
Yugi patted his back reassuringly. "Don't worry. I can teleport us home."  
  
"NO! That might make it even worse!" His senses reeled at the mere thought of one of Yugi's teleportations.  
  
"Oh, fine. We'll WALK, Mr. Old-Fashioned."  
  
"Thanks." Nate slowly got to his feet. "I think I can walk now."  
  
"You don't look like you can."  
  
"You're right." Nate pulled a pad and pen from his jacket. "My mind's not working. How do you spell wheelchair?"  
  
"Forget it, I'll do it." Yugi waved her hand, and a wheelchair popped into existence.  
  
"Thanks." Nate sat down. "Okay, push me."  
  
"I don't think so, Writer o' mine." Yugi climbed onto his shoulders and waved her hand again.  
  
Nate never actually saw the rocket. But since he couldn't hear his own screams over all the noise, he figured that it had to be a rocket.  
  
Yes, it's a rocket, Nate. Are you gonna start complaining again?  
  
Yes. Especially since I just wet my pants.  
  
Ew. Good thing I wasn't sitting in your lap.  
  
Yugi, just tell me you can get us home without crashing. Please?  
  
Don't you have ANY faith in your Muse?  
  
Nate managed to smile, despite the incredible forces acting on his body. That depends on if you mean D or you.  
  
...just for THAT remark, we're taking the scenic route, buster.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Pinocchio wasn't in a good mood. It seemed as if all the drunk fictives had wandered straight from the Subreality Cafe and directly to the Writer's Cafe. He considered the front of the establishment his personal domain, and he'd had to kick many unruly characters out of it this night. In other words, the wooden boy was pissed.  
  
So by the time Ethan and Iyla discovered him, Pinocchio was ready to pound just about anyone.  
  
"Excuse me," Iyla said politely, "but have you seen a Writer and Muse that slightly resemble us tonight?"  
  
Pinocchio peered at her face, as if he was trying to get a good mental picture. Then he snorted and replied, "I'm a bouncer, doll. I don't get paid to remember faces."  
  
Iyla frowned a bit, but she quickly hid it behind a smile as she felt Ethan's grip tightening. No, Ethan. I'll handle this. "Please, sir. This is really important to me."  
  
Pinocchio started to say something, but Hank's blue head suddenly appeared at the door. "Can I help you?" he asked. His eyes narrowed, then widened in surprise. "Well...that's quite interesting."  
  
"What is?" Iyla asked.  
  
"I would have sworn that you two just left," Hank explained.   
  
Ethan squeezed Iyla's hand. My counterpart has been here recently, love. The trail is fading.  
  
Don't worry, Ethan. We'll find him. Iyla turned to Hank. "Sir, could we use your phone book, please? It'll only take a moment."  
  
"Certainly, my dear." Hank stepped aside and allowed the pair to pass.  
  
"I got a bad feelin' 'bout them, Hank," Pinocchio muttered.  
  
"You have bad feelings about everyone, my friend. They only want to use the phone. See?"   
  
Pinocchio peered inside. Ethan was holding Iyla up in his arms while she dialed the number. "Maybe, maybe not. I say we keep an eye on the silver, anyway."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"So what do we do now?" Yugi asked.  
  
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing." Nate demonstrated by flopping onto the couch.  
  
"C'mon, you big lug! The night is young!" Yugi hopped on his back and began to bounce up and down.  
  
"Well, I'm not. I'm still dizzy from your rocket ride."  
  
Yugi stopped bouncing and flopped across his back. "So we just lay here?"  
  
"I do," the Writer replied, stifling a yawn. "You can go home any time."  
  
"I AM home," Yugi insisted. "Now, are you gonna get up, or do I have to do something drastic?"  
  
Nate's answer was a loud and obviously fake snore.  
  
"Fine!" Yugi hopped off his back and went into her room. She was actually considering going to bed when she noticed that there was an extra stuffed animal on her bed. "That's weird. I don't remember having a stuffed Deadpool doll."  
  
The "doll" suddenly sat up and pointed a gun at her. "To be honest, kid, you don't."  
  
Yugi swallowed noisily. "I guess that would explain it, huh?"  
  
"Right. So be a good lil' Muse for Uncle Wade and don't try anything stupid."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Are you certain we can trust a mercenary?  
  
Iyla smiled. "Trust me, Ethan. This guy is good."  
  
I don't want my counterpart dead, Iyla.  
  
"I know, and I gave Deadpool specific instructions. He'll only keep an eye on them until we arrive."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"This is humiliating," Yugi muttered.  
  
"At least the big one caught you," Nate pointed out. "I actually got hog-tied by a midget."  
  
"Hey! Keep it down over there!" Deadpool shouted. "Some of us are trying to watch cartoons!"  
  
"Yeah!" Widdle Wade added. "And if ya don't shut yer traps, we'll shut 'em for ya!"  
  
"I really hate that kid," Nate mumbled. "Don't you have a special escape plan or something, Yugi?"  
  
Yugi shrugged, and the ropes fell away from her shoulders. "You mean like that?"  
  
"You could've done that the whole time?!"   
  
"Sure, but then they would've shot you, and I'd be out of a job."  
  
"Good point. So now what?"  
  
"I guess we wait and see what they're waiting for."  
  
Nate groaned. "I can hardly wait."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"This is the place, Ethan. I can sense Deadpool and your counterpart inside. It looks like mine is in there, too."  
  
Good. We must not waste anymore time. Ethan kicked the door in and walked into the apartment.  
  
Deadpool aimed his gun at the door, then lowered it. "Oh, it's you guys. I was wondering when you'd-"  
  
Ethan silenced him with a glance.   
  
"Where are they?" Iyla asked.  
  
Deadpool was still too afraid to speak, so Widdle Wade pointed to the couch.  
  
Ethan grabbed Nate by the collar and hauled him up.  
  
"Careful, Ethan," Iyla warned. "If you get too close, even one of my shields wouldn't protect us from the explosion."  
  
Ethan promptly threw Nate to the floor. Yugi was instantly at the fallen Writer's side, glaring up at Ethan.  
  
She seems to be protective of him, love. How can that be?  
  
"I-I don't know, Ethan. They're supposed to be different from us."  
  
"We're not different," Yugi replied with a defiant grin. "We're better!"  
  
Something in Ethan snapped, and he started to reach for the Muse.  
  
"No, Ethan!" Iyla grabbed his hand. "We don't fully understand this world yet! Erasing her might harm me, too!"  
  
Ethan instantly stopped. This isn't right, Iyla. They're the same as we are.  
  
That's what YOU think, Yugi snapped, narrowing her eyes. Nobody hurts my Writer and gets away with it.  
  
Nate already knew what his Muse was thinking. "No, Yugi! Don't do it!"  
  
Yugi threw up her hands. Instantly, hundreds of crystal shards appeared behind her. "I don't know where you two came from, but you're going back in pieces!"  
  
Iyla positioned herself in front of Ethan. "Wait, sister!"  
  
"You're NOT my sister." Yugi dropped her hands.   
  
The shards flew forward at blinding speeds. Iyla barely had time to construct an energy shield. However, the shards were fueled by Yugi's rage, which had grown considerably in the last few seconds. Soon, the shards were leaving dents in the shield.  
  
"Ethan, we have to get out of here!" Iyla shouted. "This was a bad idea!"  
  
No. I must know why they aren't different, Iyla.  
  
Suddenly, a shard pierced through the shield and slashed the skin of Iyla's wrist. She shrieked in pain, and the shield instantly vanished.   
  
Reacting with lightning speed, Ethan grabbed his Muse and turned away. The rest of the shards struck his bare back.  
  
"Yugi, STOP!" Nate screamed.  
  
The shards faded away, and Yugi's breathing returned to normal.  
  
Ethan fell to his knees, clutching Iyla tightly to his chest. He could feel the blood pouring down his back in streams. Yet, his first thought was, Are you hurt, love?  
  
Iyla slowly raised her head and stared into his eyes. "Ethan...you saved me..."  
  
I had to, Iyla. Ethan pressed his lips to her forehead. You are my heart. Without you, I do not exist.  
  
Iyla peered over his shoulder. "Then maybe...they're the same way?"  
  
Perhaps. Ethan glanced back at Yugi, who had gone to work untying Nate. Still, her eyes were locked on the other Writer and his Muse.  
  
"We should go home, Ethan," Iyla suggested. "You're hurt."  
  
He nodded and stood up, cradling her small frame in his strong arms. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you, love. I just had to know why they weren't different.  
  
"Maybe they're not the ones who are different, Ethan. Maybe it's us."  
  
Ethan considered that as he walked out of the apartment.  
  
Nate slowly sat up and rubbed his wrists, trying to get the circulation back. "Do you understand what just happened here, Yugi?"  
  
Yugi glanced at her Writer. "I don't think either of us ever will, Nate."  
  
"Uh...you're not gonna hold this against us, are you?" Deadpool asked.  
  
Yugi gave him the coldest look she could come up with. "Get. OUT!"  
  
Deadpool and Widdle Wade quickly made themselves scarce.  
  
"You okay?" Yugi asked, crawling into Nate's lap and slipping her arms around his neck.  
  
"I guess. Though I'm starting to wish I hadn't landed on my arm."  
  
Suddenly, a portal in the shape of an ankh appeared, and D ran into the room. "Guys, guess what?! I was reading these books, and..." She took in the damage to the room, and the fact that Yugi was in Nate's lap. "That's...really you guys, isn't it?"  
  
Nate and Yugi both nodded.  
  
"Good. Anyway, I found this book on Subreversity, and...HEY! GET OFF HIM!"  
  
"I was wondering when she'd notice," Yugi said.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Madison was wondering how far Li had gotten when there was a loud noise somewhere in the house. She quickly got up and ran into the kitchen.  
  
Ethan was sprawled across the table, panting heavily. It looked as if some sort of wild animal had dug its claws into his back many times. Iyla was on the other side of the table, gently holding Ethan's head in her hands. She seemed to be whispering something to him, but the words were impossible to make out.  
  
Didi came up behind Madison a few seconds later. As soon as she spotted Ethan's back, she ran off and returned with several damp towels. She leaned over her Writer's back and began wiping away the blood with gentle strokes. All the same, Ethan grunted in pain every time she did so.  
  
Madison merely stood in the doorway watching for a few moments. Then she walked over to Didi and asked quietly, "What can I do to help?"  
  
Didi stopped working and stared at her, a puzzled expression on her face. Finally, she said, "Talk to Iyla," and went back to work.  
  
Madison turned to the other Muse, who was still whispering to Ethan in what could only be described as calm, soothing tones.  
  
Iyla paused and looked at Madison. "I'm trying to keep him from going into shock. I've managed to shut down some of the more sensitive pain receptors, but I can't do that and keep him calm."  
  
Madison hesitantly reached down and took hold of Ethan's right hand. It seemed so big that it took both of her hands to handle the weight. She gently rubbed the center of his palm with her fingers.  
  
Iyla gave her a brief smile before turning her attention back to Ethan.  
  
Ethan's breathing gradually returned to normal, and he stopped grunting when Didi put slight pressure on his back.   
  
After what seemed like hours, Iyla lifted Ethan's head, and Didi slid a few towels underneath to serve as a pillow. Iyla then used another towel to clean off her wrist, which had stopped bleeding long ago.  
  
Madison wanted to help her, but she wasn't sure if it was okay to leave Ethan yet. Though his pupilless eyes were open, she didn't know if he slept that way, or if he was just staring into space.  
  
"Y'know, he's asleep," Didi pointed out, resentment in her voice. "You don't have to keep rubbing his hand like that."  
  
"Leave her alone, Didi," Iyla said, shooting the other Muse a look.  
  
Did muttered something and left the room in a hurry.  
  
"I must apoligize for her. Didi gets jealous easily."  
  
"Jealous of what?" Madison asked.   
  
However, Iyla only smiled, and didn't say much else. Instead, she spent her time stroking Ethan's head, humming a strange song that was somewhat relaxing. "It's easy to forget he's dangerous, isn't it?" she asked suddenly.  
  
Madison blinked. "What do you mean?"  
  
"It's only been three months since you first came to us, Madison. Surely you remember?"  
  
"Oh. That." Madison lowered her head. "I try not to think about it."  
  
"For all the good it does, I'm sorry. Ethan is, too. He likes you."  
  
Madison froze. "What?"  
  
"I said he likes you," Iyla repeated.  
  
"No, I heard you. Why does he?"  
  
Iyla shrugged. "He likes your voice."  
  
"But you told me he was deaf and mute."  
  
"Did I say that?" Iyla smiled sheepishly. "Okay, he is mute. I sometimes get carried away, and Ethan never bothers to correct my little mistakes. It's the big ones he doesn't let me get away with."  
  
"Does he...punish you?"  
  
"Punish? No, of course not. Ethan could never do that. He makes 'suggestions.' Sometimes he suggests more strongly than others, but that's about it."  
  
"So he's not...mean?" Madison asked.  
  
"Madison, I know your first impression of Ethan was a bad one, and you'd probably heard all the stories about Ethan the Eraser and how sick and twisted he was. But the fact is, Ethan rarely gets angry, so most of the time, he's just like any other Writer. In fact, once you get to know him, he can be very sweet. He's like a big teddy bear that can't talk."  
  
"Well, that's an odd way to describe him."  
  
"You'd be surprised," Iyla said with a smile. "He's a master when it comes to cuddling."  
  
"I think I'll just stick to holding his hand for now," Madison replied.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Pssst! Nate!"  
  
Nate slowly opened his eyes. "Yugi, it's three in the morning."  
  
"I need to talk to you!"  
  
"Now?"  
  
"Yes, now!" she insisted, giving his pillow a tug.  
  
Nate grunted and sat up. "Fine. What is it?"  
  
"I've been thinking."  
  
His eyes narrowed. "There had BETTER be more."  
  
"There is. I was thinking about how Ethan protected Iyla earlier."  
  
"Your point being?" Nate asked, stifling a yawn.  
  
"Would you do that for me?"  
  
"Sure. Not that it would make much difference. That guy looked pretty ripped, and those shards would probably go right through me. So at least we'd die together in a bloody heap. Can I go to sleep now?"  
  
"I guess."  
  
Nate didn't move. "What else is there?"  
  
"D told me that Ethan and Iyla are supposed to be our opposites."  
  
"In theory."  
  
"Right. Well, I was thinking...they weren't that different from us. But they're evil, right?"  
  
"I dunno. They did make Deadpool tie us up."  
  
"So...does that mean if I wanted you to fall in love with me...we'd both have to be evil?"  
  
Nate tilted his head slightly. "You're jealous of them."  
  
"I can't help it! They were so close, and...and..."  
  
"Yugi, stop doing this to yourself. I'm not going to fall in love with you just because you want me to. Waking me at three in the morning is severely testing the love I do have for you. Now please, stop asking questions and go to bed."  
  
Yugi did as she was told, but she couldn't stop thinking about Ethan and Iyla. There was so much she didn't know about them, too many questions left unanswered by their visit. In that moment, Yugi knew she had no choice. One way or another, she would have to find them, even if it meant going to the dreaded Alter Cafe itself.  
----------  
Disclaimer: Deadpool & Widdle Wade belong to Marvel Comics. Madison belongs to Nelvana/CLAMP.  



	3. Me, Myself, and Iyla

Note: Ethan & Co. will show up at least once more. Until then, here's now.  
  
Summary: Yugi pays a visit to the flip side of Subreality.  
  
Me, Myself, and Iyla  
by Nate  
-----------  
Yugi tightened the cloak around her shoulders as she flew down the street, trying to look as reserved as she could. If anyone suspected that she was herself instead of Iyla, there might be trouble. She'd even gone through the trouble of having D style her hair into a long ponytail.  
  
Suddenly, Ethan's house came into view. Yugi had never been there before, but something in her gut told her this was the desired destination. It looked like a cross between a castle and a church, ironically enough. She landed on the doorstep and wondered if she should ring the doorbell or knock. Then, upon noticing that there was no doorbell and the door was covered in spikes to prevent anyone from actually knocking, Yugi settled on the leather strap that hung from an upstairs window. She gave it a hard tug, and there was the sound of a large bell ringing off in the distance.  
  
Soon, she could hear footsteps approaching the door. Before Yugi had a chance to change her mind about the whole thing, the door opened, and Iyla stuck her head out. "Didi, you're late aga--" she started to say, but then realized that it wasn't her fellow Muse. Well, Yugi was a Muse, just not the one Iyla had been expecting. Fear registered in her eyes, and she began to slam the door shut.  
  
Yugi stopped the door with her considerable telekinetics. "I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to talk."  
  
Iyla hesitated for a long moment, then slowly stepped aside.  
  
Yugi quickly walked by her, feeling the other Muse shudder as their arms brushed. She instantly felt bad about their last encounter.  
  
Iyla led Yugi into the kitchen, where she had been making tea. "W-Would you l-like a c-cup?" she stammered, obviously very nervous.  
  
"Not really. Is Ethan around?"  
  
"H-He's asleep," Iyla replied. "I could go wake-"  
  
"No, that's okay," Yugi interrupted. "I was just curious. I'm actually here to talk to you."  
  
"Me? Why?"  
  
Yugi didn't answer right away. Instead, she sat down at the kitchen table. "I want answers."  
  
Iyla sat down across from her. "About what?"  
  
"I want to know why you and Ethan aren't exact opposites of us."  
  
Iyla frowned. "I don't know, Yugi. Ethan and I have been wondering the same thing since we got back here."  
  
Yugi closed her eyes. "I have a theory. I think it has something to do with Ethan being cra--uh, not normal."  
  
Iyla's eyes narrowed slightly. "But around here, Ethan IS normal."  
  
Yugi rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but every coin's got two sides. You and I are a coin, but with Nate and Ethan, Ethan's pretty much got his own coin. That's gotta mess things up somewhere."  
  
"So you're saying it's his fault?"  
  
"No, but now that I think about it, you two are the ones that crossed over and tied us up. Even I never would've tried anything like that."  
  
Iyla smirked. "You're here now."  
  
"Only because I want answers to the questions your visit brought up," Yugi pointed out. "Anyway, has Ethan done anything recently that he doesn't normally do? Something that might effect us all?"  
  
Iyla thought for a moment. "Well, he recently took in an anime fictive."  
  
Yugi blinked. "He did? Why?"  
  
"Well, she was underused, and he thought she deserved better treatment. But that's not really strange. Ethan's always been a sucker for a pretty face."  
  
"And just what fictive was this?" Yugi asked.  
  
"Well, a Madison Taylor. Is that important?"  
  
"I have no idea. But we took in a fictive a while back." She smiled slightly. "Although he's not really a fictive anymore..."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Madison was still a little nervous about being alone with Ethan, even when he was asleep. At least, she thought he was asleep. But since Ethan had no pupils in his eyeballs, it was difficult to tell sometimes. All the time, really.   
  
Normally, Didi would be the one to leave a glass of water on Ethan's nightstand, but Madison had insisted on helping out around the house. She'd tried to make them all new outfits, but her fashion sense just wasn't Gothic enough for them.  
  
She had just placed the water on the nightstand when Ethan rolled over in bed, his empty gaze coming to rest on her. The blood ran cold in Madison's veins as she forced herself to remain still.  
  
When Ethan hadn't moved after several minutes, Madison began to relax. Noticing that the blanket had been tossed aside, she carefully drew it over him and turned to leave.  
  
That was when the hand had seized her wrist. While the firm grip didn't really hurt, Madison's only desire at that moment was to get away from it. She tugged harder and harder, trying to free herself. But Ethan was obviously a lot stronger than she was.  
  
Without warning, one of Ethan's large fingers prodded her arm.  
  
Madison watched in surprise as the finger pointed down, as if indicating something beneath them. Realization came quickly.  
  
"Downstairs...?" she guessed. "Something's downstairs?"  
  
Ethan nodded and picked her up, setting her firmly beside him on the bed.  
  
"I should stay here?" Madison asked weakly.  
  
Ethan nodded again and pressed a finger to her lips. Then he tilted his head, as if listening.  
  
"Is something wrong, Ethan?" Madison asked softly. "Is...there danger?"  
  
He paused, nodded again, and pressed a hand to his heart.  
  
"Iyla? Iyla's in danger?!"  
  
Ethan began to nod, shrugged instead, and indicated she should keep her voice down. He touched his heart again, then mimicked pulling it from his chest.  
  
"You're...in pain?" Madison whispered.  
  
He nodded, then shook his head to indicate that while she was right, it wasn't what he'd meant. Ethan clasped his hands together tightly, then drew them apart.  
  
"Separated? Something's broken...or split?"  
  
He smiled eerily at her, then touched his heart again.  
  
Madison thought for a long moment. "Iyla...? Iyla's been split?"  
  
Ethan held up two large fingers.  
  
"Two...two Iylas? Sisters?"  
  
Ethan shook his head, then held up a finger, one on each hand. He drew them apart very slowly, then indicated himself and his heart again.  
  
"There's...two of you and Iyla...like...your counterparts?"  
  
Ethan patted her head, as if congratulating her.  
  
"Then...Iyla's counterpart is HERE? Isn't that bad?"  
  
He shrugged, then pointed to a clock on the wall, which was broken.  
  
"We're going to be here a while. Waiting?"  
  
He nodded and settled down against his pillow.  
  
Madison sighed, then carefully rested her head on his muscular arm. Within seconds, she was asleep.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"So then I told Gamer that if he EVER helped D with a project that involved her doing anything nude, that I'd have to hurt him. Badly. With unseen forces and large crystal shards in his private places."  
  
Iyla winced.  
  
"Well, it worked," Yugi murmured, smiling into her mug a bit. "He even burned the clothes he'd been wearing during the whole fiasco."  
  
"He sounds...very devoted to you," Iyla noted. "Like Ethan is to me."  
  
"Yeah," Yugi agreed softly, staring at her.  
  
Iyla looked away. "I...I'm glad you came to make amends, Yugi. But I'm not sure Ethan would be happy to find you here."  
  
"Can't you tell? Y'know, through your link?"  
  
"Strangely, no," Iyla admitted with a frown. "He's...blocking. Ethan never does that. He must know you're here."  
  
Yugi shrugged. "Well, he hasn't come charging down the stairs. That's good, right?"  
  
"For now. But Didi will be back soon, and I can't promise your safety. I don't want anyone to get hurt...again." Iyla smiled sadly. "Please go home, Yugi. I promise I'll let you know if I figure anything out about...you know...us. All of us."  
  
"Well, at least take this." Yugi pressed a small, blue crystal into Iyla's palm. "So you'll have something to contact me with. I don't think you should strain yourself sending mental messages into Subreality."  
  
"And you can have one of mine," Iyla agreed, handing a violet one to Yugi. "So you won't have to risk running into anyone else. I'm the nice Muse here."  
  
"You say that like I'm not," Yugi replied, grinning.  
  
Iyla smiled. "If we can get along...maybe there's hope for Ethan & Nate?"  
  
"Maybe. Next time, I'll see if I can talk D & Gamer into letting Deemon come. You'd like her. She smells like cookies."  
  
Iyla looked shocked. "Madison smells like cookies..."  
  
Yugi gaped. "Really?"  
  
"Well, yes. She bakes. Quite often."  
  
Yugi's face fell, and she headed to the door. "Oh. Right. Well, I better get back."  
  
Iyla stopped her and gently touched her cheek. "May the Lords of Chaos keep you safe in your travels, sister."  
  
"Erm...yeah." Yugi blinked a few times and patted Iyla's cheek in return. "And...may Delirium keep your fishies...swimming." With that, she was gone, zooming into the night with her cloak billowing behind her.  
  
"These counterparts of ours continue to amaze me, love," said a wary voice in her head.  
  
"I agree, Ethan," Iyla replied through their psychic link. "But every time I see my...sister...I can't help but think that maybe they feel the same way about us."  
  
"And do you really believe we were meant to coexist? In the same plane?"  
  
"Maybe not permanently." Iyla smiled a bit. "But maybe that's why everyone looks forward to family reunions. They always have to end..."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"GAH! GET BACK!" the Writer cried in alarm.  
  
"It's ME, Nate. I just went to visit Ethan & Iyla."  
  
"But...WHY?!"  
  
Yugi freed her hair from the ponytail. "Apologies, explanations, that sort of thing. Maybe Ethan's crazy because he's you and Gamer combined. Ever consider that?"  
  
"Maybe he's crazy because he's in love with a version of you..."  
  
"I HEARD that, D."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Didi was the first to notice the door leading to the attic. Except that there was no attic in Ethan's house, so logically, nothing but open sky would be beyond the door.   
  
On the one occasion Didi did take a peek, there was certainly nothing open or even remotely sky-like about what she saw. Whatever it was, apparently it satisfied her curiosity, or scared her half to death, because she never found cause to look again.  
  
For some reason, Iyla could never seem to find the door, especially when she looked for it.   
  
Ethan had no opinion at all, as long as whatever was beyond the door stayed on that side of it. He had quite a few demons living in his head, and didn't really care to have any living in his home.  
  
Not surprisingly, as a result, Iyla never told Yugi about the door (there was, literally, nothing to tell), and Yugi would never find out about it. Neither would D, Deemon, or Nate himself.  
  
Gamer is another matter entirely...  
  
* * * * *  
  
Disclaimer: Madison belongs to CLAMP, everyone else resides in a little place known as My Twisted Imagination. Bwa ha ha. 


	4. Playtime

Summary: On vacation with the girls, Gamer encounters his Subreverse self.  
  
Playtime  
By Nate  
---------  
Vacation was an odd concept to Gamer. As Nate's Third Muse, his Inspirations were often shelved away for rainy days, while Yugi's and D's were sucked into their Writer's head almost immediately. Incidentally, this left Gamer with quite a bit of free time. So when Nate declared he was shipping them all to some exotic island getaway, Gamer had not been as thrilled as the girls.  
  
After all, he probably only actually Mused 20% of the time he was around Nate. So being told to leave and not Inspire for a few weeks was hardly any different from any other day. It was, however, extremely boring by the second day.  
  
Since they worked so much harder at being Muses, Yugi and D were enjoying the time off immensely. Deemon was enjoying herself because...well, she was Deemon. That and both Yugi and Gamer had recently acquired new pets for her. Any other fictive might've considered two active, squeaky, bouncy furballs to be strange pets. But Deemon simply adored her Venonat and Karibou, and never went anywhere without them.  
  
For the first day, Gamer had sat and watched the two balls of fluff chase each other around Deemon's feet as she ran up and down the beach. It gradually became harder and harder to tell the purple one from the brown one, and Gamer knew that this would be a long vacation indeed.  
  
* * * * *  
  
In terms of his relations with humanity, Nate was most definitely a solitary person. In terms of his relations with fictives, it was about the same (although replacing "person" with "Writer" was his preference, as it implied at least SOME importance).   
  
And then, of course, there was the fact that Yugi was, quite simply, a goddess in her own right. She would never be mentioned in any notable collections of them, but just mentioning her name in Subreality generally inspired fear (from anyone less powerful), looks of jealousy (from her adoring, if not obsessed fans), and sighs that just seemed to say, "You poor, unfortunate Writer, you" (from anyone who had enough sense to know that the cuteness was only an act).  
  
The strange thing was that in this case, a virtually unknown Writer plus an infamous (and Yugi liked it that way) Muse resulted in a sort of twisted popularity for them both.   
  
Nate, however, was not aware of this until he'd gone out looking for a few assistants to keep things organized while Gamer and the girls were away. After the first mob, he learned rather quickly. They didn't want him, though. Just being associated with a friend of Yugi's meant instant semi-celebrity status. Being able to say you'd worked with her Writer (never mind that Yugi was nowhere near at the time) put you at demi-god.  
  
Finally, he'd just gone to his most recent fic and pulled out one of the neatest characters he'd ever run into...for a robot, anyway. It had nothing to do with the fact that he secretly wanted to be a Medafighter. More like the fact that Brass was SO polite that she called even him "Mr. Nate" without prompting.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Do you think Gamey will like my tan?" Yugi asked.  
  
D rolled her eyes. "Yugi, he worships the ground you walk on. You know perfectly well that Gamer would like you even if you were bald and smelled funny."  
  
"But do you think he'll like my tan?"  
  
D sighed. "Sure, he'll love it."  
  
"Great!" Yugi reached for her bottle of suntan lotion. "Wake me up when I'm a nice, golden brown."  
  
"Don't tempt me to leave you here until you're charcoal black, Yugi. Because it IS tempting."  
  
Yugi pushed her shades up, grinning wickedly. "Are you still sore about...The Barbie Incident?"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Deemon stopped running and looked up the beach. She could still see Muse Yugi and Big Sister stretched out on their chairs. Muse Gamer wasn't with them. Curious, Deemon looked in the other direction. No Muse Gamer there, either.  
  
Venonat chattered at her feet, rubbing against her leg.  
  
Deemon frowned. It wasn't like Muse Gamer to disappear without telling anyone. Maybe Something Bad had happened again. Things tended to do that when you knew Muse Yugi, of course, but that didn't mean there was no cause for concern.  
  
Making up her mind, Deemon headed back up the shoreline to tell the Muses that one of them was missing.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Gamer had never really seen a hotel pool before. So it took him a few seconds to realize that the dark, dry tunnel he'd stepped into was not supposed to be there.  
  
"Come to me."  
  
The voice left no room for argument, and anyway, Gamer didn't have anything better to do.  
  
The tunnel stretched out to small chamber of sorts, with nothing more than two golden benches, a table, and someone who looked as if he'd just proclaimed himself Pharaoh of Egypt.  
  
"I've been waiting for you, my brother," he said, smiling eerily. "Do come closer and stop hiding in that Millennium Puzzle of yours."  
  
There was a rush of wind, and the Shadow King sat down. "Who are you?"  
  
"One who has long since forgotten his true name. I am descended from the dark god, Ra, and have no use for mortal titles. Now, brother, let us play your game. Let us play the Shadow Game..."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Yugi woke up to feel hands fondling her leg desperately. True, she had been flirting with the waiter, but she didn't think he'd be THIS forward. At least not with Gamer right up the beach. Well, there was no sense in denying her immortal beauty. Better to let to poor, unfortunate soul down easy. Perhaps she'd blow him a kiss or two.  
  
But it was not an adoring, drooling fan Yugi found upon lifting her shades. It was only Deemon.  
  
"Oh, it's you," Yugi said, sounding very disappointed. "What is it?"  
  
"Muse Yugi, Muse Gamer is gone!"  
  
Yugi glanced both ways. "Hmm...so he is."  
  
"Shouldn't we go look for him?"  
  
"Gamer's a big boy, Deemon. I'm sure he's fine. Anyway, he wouldn't stray too far from me."  
  
Deemon pouted. "But I'm worried..."  
  
"Don't look at me like that. I MADE that look just so I could get Nate to do what I want. Stop it!"  
  
"Pleeeeeeeease, Muse Yugi?"  
  
Yugi sighed and nudged her partner Muse. "D, get up. Gamer's gone missing."  
  
"What, again? You've got to learn to keep up with your toys, Yugi."  
  
"It's not MY fault male toys are so curious! They're like...cats, I swear!"  
  
D sighed. "Sure. But we wouldn't have to keep looking for them if you just gave them back their minds and let them go free, would we?"  
  
Yugi rolled her eyes. "Look, we both know that's not happening. "Let's just find Gamey before he realizes he's without me and suffers a nervous breakdown."  
  
* * * * *  
  
The Shadow King gasped as the game ended, clutching at his weary heart.  
  
"You played honorably," the Son of Ra noted. "Yet you lost."  
  
"So I did," the Shadow King agreed. "Is that why you brought me here?"  
  
"Yes," said the Son of Ra. A year from this day, you will return, and we will play again. And we will continue to play until you can defeat me."  
  
"And if I do win...can we still play again?"  
  
The Son of Ra smiled. "No. Because then there would be no need."  
  
The chamber suddenly vanished, and Gamer found himself standing waist-deep in a sandhill. "That was...different."  
  
"THERE you are!"  
  
Gamer twisted his head around to see Yugi approaching, followed closely by D & Deemon.  
  
"Where have you been, Gamer? We've been all over the island looking for you!"  
  
"I was...in the pool?"  
  
"Oh. Well...don't wander off so much. And if you're gonna, at least take the shrimp and the furballs with you so they doesn't bug us about it."  
  
"Sorry." Gamer glanced down at his waist suggestively. "A little help here? Please?"  
  
With a sigh, Yugi waved her hand, and Gamer was instantly uprooted.  
  
"Thanks."   
  
"Uh huh. But you're on your own getting the sand out of your shorts."  
  
Gamer paused. "How do you know there's sand in-"  
  
"BEACH WEDGIE!!!" D shouted, grabbing his shorts and pouring an entire pail of sand into them.  
  
Not that he could really tell the difference with all the sand that was already there. Although it was noticeably a bit harder to chase after D.  
  
Gamer sighed and shook his head. "I REALLY need a vacation from THIS vacation..."  
  
---------  
  
Disclaimer: Subreality, Subreversity, and anything else she wants, belong to the Scribe. 


End file.
